Re: S&W 38 SW Special Serial # Prefix That gun is more recent than you think it is. About 1980 S&W went to a universal serial numbering system for its revolvers that involves three alphabetic characters followed by four numeric characters. A common posting on gun forums begins with a member that has a Smith & Wesson revolver; they want to know everything about what it is, how old it is, and how much it’s worth.
Contents. History Early history and founded the Smith & Wesson Company in in 1852 to develop the. Smith developed a new Volcanic, which he patented in 1854.
The Smith & Wesson Company was renamed in 1855 and was purchased. Smith left the company and returned to his native, while Wesson stayed on as plant manager with Volcanic Repeating Arms. As 's patent on the was set to expire in 1856, Wesson began developing a prototype for a cartridge revolver. His research pointed out that a former employee named held the patent for a 'Bored-through' cylinder, a component he would need for his invention.
Wesson reconnected with Smith and the two partners approached White to manufacture a newly designed revolver-and-cartridge combination. Rather than make White a partner in their company, Smith and Wesson paid him a royalty of $0.25 on every revolver that they made.
It would become White's responsibility to defend his patent in any court cases which eventually led to his financial ruin, but was very advantageous for the new Smith & Wesson Company. 19th century Smith & Wesson's revolvers came into popular demand with the outbreak of the as soldiers from all ranks on both sides of the conflict made private purchases of the revolvers for. The orders for the revolver outpaced the factory's production capabilities. In 1860 demand was so great that Smith & Wesson expanded into a new facility and began experimenting with a new cartridge design more suitable than the that it had been using. At the same time, the company's design was being infringed upon by other manufacturers which led to numerous lawsuits filed. In many of these instances part of the restitution came in the form of the offender being forced to stamp 'Manufactured for Smith & Wesson' on the revolvers in question. White's vigorous defence of his patent caused a problem for arms makers in the United States at the time as they could not manufacture cartridge revolvers.
At the end of the war, the U.S. Government charged White with causing the retardation of arms development in America.
Demand for revolvers declined at the close of the Civil War so Smith & Wesson focused on the development of arms suitable for use on the American frontier. In 1870 the company switched focus from pocket-sized revolvers to a large frame revolver in heavier calibres. This new design, known as the, was adopted by the as the first cartridge-firing revolver in US service. In 1899 Smith & Wesson introduced its most widely used revolver, the.38 Military & Police (also known as the ). With over 6 million produced, it became the standard sidearm of American police officers for much of the 20th century. An additional 1 million of these guns were made for the during. 20th century The post-war periods in the 20th century were times of great innovation for the company.
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In 1935 released the which was the first revolver chambered for. It was designed as a more powerful handgun for law enforcement officers. The Model 27 started the 'Magnum Era' of.
The high point was in 1955 when the company created the in. Two decades later the movies made this gun a cultural icon. In 1965 the Wesson family sold its controlling interest in Smith & Wesson to, a large American conglomerate. Over the next decade Bangor Punta diversified the company's civilian sales to include related gun products (such as ) as well as offering additional police equipment (such as and ). By the late 1970s these profitable moves made Smith & Wesson 'the envy of the industry' according to Business Week.
Despite all of these advantages, however, Smith & Wesson's market share began to decline in the 1980s. As the intensified in the United States, police departments all across the country replaced their revolvers with European (such as, and ).
From 1982 to 1986 profits at the company declined by 41 percent Company ownership changed twice during the decade. In June 1987 paid $112.5 million to purchase Smith & Wesson. Tomkins modernized the production equipment and instituted additional testing which significantly increased product quality. However new gun sales in the United States lagged in the 1990s, some of which was attributed to the of 1994. Also, there were numerous city and state lawsuits against Smith & Wesson.
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After the success of the, municipalities thought they might be able to succeed through tort law against the gun industry as well. These political and legal challenges provided a lot of risk and uncertainty for Smith &Wesson's future. Clinton agreement On March 17, 2000, Smith & Wesson made an agreement with U.S. President under which it would implement changes in the design and distribution of its firearms in return for 'preferred buying program' to offset the loss of revenue as a result of the anticipated boycott. The agreement stated all authorized dealers and distributors of products had to abide by a 'code of conduct' to eliminate the sale of firearms to prohibited persons, and dealers had to agree to not allow children under 18 (without an adult present) access to gun shops or sections of stores that contained firearms. After an organized campaign by the and NSSF over the issue of, thousands of retailers and tens of thousands of firearms consumers boycotted Smith & Wesson. CEO Ed Shultz, who negotiated the deal, was forced out in September of that year.
By December 2000, the company's stock price was 19 cents per share. Dropped its smart gun plans after nearly being driven out of business. Acquisition On May 11, 2001, Saf-T-Hammer Corporation acquired Smith & Wesson Corp. From for US$15 million, a fraction of the US$112 million originally paid by Tomkins. Saf-T-Hammer assumed US$30 million in debt, bringing the total purchase price to US$45 million. Saf-T-Hammer, a manufacturer of firearms locks and other safety products, purchased the company with the intention of incorporating its line of security products into all Smith & Wesson firearms in compliance with the 2000 agreement. The acquisition of Smith & Wesson was chiefly brokered by Saf-T-Hammer President Bob Scott, who had left Smith & Wesson in 1999 because of a disagreement with Tomkins’ policies.
After the purchase, Scott became the president of Smith & Wesson to guide the 157-year-old company back to its former standing in the market. On February 15, 2002, the name of the newly formed entity was changed to Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation. Recent history In 2006 Smith & Wesson refocused its marketing on, according to Smith & Wesson CEO Mike Golden in a 2008 conference call with investors.
Smith & Wesson Holding announced in December 2014 that it was paying $130.5 million for Battenfeld Technologies, a -based designer and distributor of hunting and shooting accessories. The company made the acquisition with the eventual intent to merge all its existing Smith & Wesson, and accessories into a single division. In August 2016 the company bought, a laser-sight manufacturer, for $95 million and Taylor Brands, a tool and knife maker, for $85 million. In November of that same year, the company bought UST Brands, a survival equipment maker, for $32.3 million. On November 7, 2016, Smith & Wesson announced that it would be changing the name of its holding company to. In 2017 US Militarymith & Wesson saw a severe contraction in its sales as units shipped to distributors and retailers declined 38.3%. The company was forced to lay off one-fourth of its manufacturing workforce.
The company has come under increased scrutiny due to the frequent use of its firearms in mass shootings such as the 2018, in which 19-year-old Nikolas Jacob Cruz used a Smith & Wesson, the semi-automatic. The same weapon was used in the and the. Products Cartridges.
—sometimes called.32 Short. —sometimes called.32 Colt New Police (a variation produced for the, as Colt did not want an association with their competitor).32-44 S&W, defined as.32 Caliber (true.32 caliber measures.323', sole use in Model 3 Revolver to 1898. —sometimes called.38 Colt New Police (a variation produced for the, as Colt did not want an association with their competitor) and the 38/200 in England. There are two distinct loads with this designation. The first was intended for use in model 3 revolvers up to 1898.
The second was a predecessor to the.357 Magnum. Using the latter load in a pre-1898 gun could cause serious injury. —Usually referred to as '.38 Special'. —Usually referred to as '.357 Magnum'.
—Smith & Wesson developed the cartridge but the first firearm to hit the market chambered in.40 was manufactured by. —While developed the ammunition, Smith & Wesson made the first revolvers to chamber the cartridge. Revolvers. Smith & Wesson Model 10 cal.
38 has produced revolvers over the years in several standard frame sizes. M refers to the small early frame, I to the small frame, J to the small frame, K to the medium frame, L to medium large, and N to the largest type frame. In 2003, the even larger X frame was introduced for the. —first Smith & Wesson chambered in. —first automatic ejection of spent cartridge cases. Smith & Wesson Double Action. —The 'lemon squeezer,' also known as the Model 40, Model 42 and 38 Safety.
I-frame (small) models. —A small six-shot revolver. Smith & Wesson Model 32—'Terrier' A small five-shot revolver chambered in.38 S&W.38-caliber. Coil or flat mainspring, round front sight, 2' barrel. is a small, 6-shot,.22 Long Rifle, double-action revolver made by Smith & Wesson. It's a multi-purpose utility handgun, intended to be used for small game hunting, plinking, and pest control. It was designed to be easily packed in a hunting, camping or fishing 'kit'.
The Model 34 would be upgraded into a J-frame in 1960. J-frame (small) models. —known as the 'Chiefs Special'; first J-frame (1950), 5-shot revolver.
—known as the 'Chiefs Special Airweight';. —first regular production all stainless steel revolver (1965); the stainless Chief's Special. —first revolver made of alloy, very light, possibly the final evolution of the classic J-frame Chief's Special introduced over 60 years earlier, weighs 12 ounces (340 g). —standard and 'Airweight' (Models 38, 49, 438, 638, 649). —standard and 'Airweight' (Models 40, 42, 442, 640, 642) (at one time available in caliber as the Model 940). —.38 Special.
Previously the '.38 Military & Police' and '.38 Victory Model'. Smith & Wesson Model 11—.38 S&W. Previously the '.38 Regular Military & Police'.
—.38 Special. 'Airweight' (alloy frame) version of the Model 10. —.357 Magnum version of the Model 10. —.38 Special. Previously the 'K-38 Masterpiece'. —.38 Special.
Previously the '38 Combat Masterpiece'. Previously the 'K-32 Masterpiece'. —.22 Caliber.
Previously the 'K-22 Masterpiece'. —.22 Caliber. Previously the '22 Combat Masterpiece'.
—.357 Magnum. Previously the 'Combat Magnum'; first lightweight.357 Magnum, built at the request of. —blued steel.22 Magnum, built for.22 Remington Jet Center fire Magnum ammunition. —.38 Special. Stainless steel version of the Model 10. —.357 Magnum. Stainless steel version of the Model 13.
—.357 Magnum. Stainless steel version of the Model 19. —.38 Special. Stainless steel version of the Model 15. —.38 Special version of the Model 66 (half-lug) 6' barrel.
—.22 Caliber. Full-lug, Stainless steel, 10-shot version of the Model 17. Smith & Wesson Model 29s.44 Remington Magnum, 4- and 8⅜-inch barrels. —first N-frame, introduced in 1908.
The first chambering of. —first revolver chambered for. —.45 ACP/.45 Auto Rim; also called the M1950 Military; Base for the 2nd issue Thunder Ranch Revolver; This was the evolution of the M1917 revolver. —similar to the Model 29, but chambered for the.45 ACP/.45 Auto Rim and later, the cartridge. The best known, and most common, variants of this revolver are the Model 25-2 (.45 ACP) and Model 25-5 (.45 Colt).
—first.357 Magnum; usually a custom or limited-run revolver, with a deep blue lustre. —'Highway Patrolman'.357 Magnum; fewer frills than the Model 27, same performance; marketed to police for its reduced price and equal performance. —first.44 Magnum by S&W, made famous by its appearance in the film. —first; initiated and sponsored by and others, top end premier model identical in features, fit, and finish to.44 Magnum Model 29. —.41 Magnum; 4-inch barrel with fixed sights; marketed as basic, entry-level police duty revolver offering greater power than.38/.357 revolvers when using a reduced power.41 Magnum police load. —used by in to set the world record for 12 rounds (with one reload) on target in 2.99 seconds. —8-shot.357 Magnum, adjustable sights, stainless steel, 2.5' or 5' barrel, removable compensator, Performance Center.
—6-shot.44 Magnum, adjustable sights, stainless steel, 2.5', 4' or 6' barrel. X-frame models. Z-frame models.
Most Smith & Wesson revolvers have been equipped with an internal locking mechanism since the acquisition by Saf-T-Hammer. The mechanism is relatively unobtrusive, is activated with a special key, and renders the firearm inoperable. While the lock can simply be left disengaged, most gun enthusiasts prefer 'pre-lock' guns. Semi-automatic pistols In 1953 the U.S.
Army was looking for a pistol to replace the. To obtain a bid from the U.S. Government, Smith & Wesson began working on a design similar to the German. A year later the Army dropped its search and Smith & Wesson introduced its pistol to the civilian shooting market as the Model 39.
The Model 39 would come to be known as a first-generation pistol. Since the Model 39 debuted, Smith & Wesson has continuously developed this design into its third-generation pistols now on the market. The first-generation models use a 2-digit model number, the second generation use 3 digits, and third-generation models use 4 digits.45 Semi-auto Chief's Special. Smith & Wesson Model 439—updated model 39.
—S&W's entry into the US Army's XM9 program. —S&W's first high-capacity double-action pistol in 9 mm Parabellum.
—Debuting in 1970, the pocket 'Escort' was a tiny automatic.22LR pistol, designed to be cheap and easily concealable. It was available in blued or nickel-plated with black or white plastic grips. Production stopped in 1973. —stainless steel. with a frame-mounted decocker. second generation large frame semi auto in.45 ACP. square trigger guard, 4506-1 and 4506-2 rounded trigger guard, third generation large frame semi-autos in 45acp.
Along with the myriad smaller configurations, the mid-sized 4516, 457, the Chiefs Special CS45, and the decocker equipped, 4546, 4566 and 4576, and the 45 TSW, the 4553, still being issued to the West Virginia State Troopers. For many of the second-generation models, the first digit identified the material used in the frame; thus the first digit of 4 indicated an alloy, the first digit of 5 indicated blued steel, and the first digit of 6 indicated stainless steel. For most of the third-generation models, the first two digits identified the calibre (except for 59/69 for 9mm), the last two digits were for the action style and the material, respectively.
Action style numbers were typically 0 for the standard double/single-action and 4 for double-action-only. Material numbers were commonly 3 for aluminium, 4 for blued steel, and 6 for stainless steel. Sigma series.
Main article: Smith & Wesson introduced the series of, locked-breech pistols in 1994 with the Sigma SW40F, followed by the Sigma SW9F 9 mm, which included a 17-shot magazine. Initiated a lawsuit against Smith & Wesson. The latter paid an undisclosed amount to settle the case and for the right to continue producing models in the Sigma line. The gun frame is manufactured from, while the and use either. In 1996, Smith & Wesson updated the Sigma by adding a compact model with a shortened barrel (from 4 1⁄ 2 to 4 inches) and again, in 1999, modified the series by changing the grip by adding checkering and adding an integral accessory rail for lights and laser targeting devices. SW9 in.
SW40 in. SW357V in. SW380 in SW99 Series. Main article: S&W reached an agreement with to produce variations of the line of pistols.
Branded as the, the pistol is available in several calibres, including 9 mm,.40 S&W, and.45 ACP, and in both full size and compact variations. Under the terms of the agreement, Walther produced the frames, and Smith & Wesson produced the slide and barrel. The pistol has several cosmetic differences from the original Walther design and strongly resembles a hybrid between the P99 and the Sigma series. M&P Series.
Main article: In 2005, Smith & Wesson debuted a new polymer-framed pistol intended for the law enforcement market. Dubbed the (for Military and Police), its name was meant to evoke S&W's history as the firearm of choice for law enforcement agencies through its previous lineup of M&P revolvers. The M&P is a completely new design with no parts interchangeable with any other pistol including the Sigma. The new design not only looks completely different than the Sigma but feels completely different with 3 different backstraps supplied with each M&P. Many of the ergonomic study elements that had been incorporated into the Sigma and the SW99 were brought over to the M&P. The improved trigger weight and feel, and unique takedown method (not requiring a dry pull of the trigger) were meant to set the M&P apart from both the Sigma and the popular Glock pistols.
The M&P is available in,. Also, a.22 LR M&P was developed with Carl Walther and is made in Germany. A model was released in early 2007, after making its debut at the. In addition, compact versions are available in.22LR, 9×19mm,.40 S&W,.357 SIG, and.45 ACP. The.22LR Compact is made by Smith & Wesson in the United States. Subcompact versions are available in 9×19mm,.40 S&W and.45 ACP. SD VE Series.
Main article: Smith & Wesson introduced the SD VE series in 2012 in hopes of remaking and improving the discontinued. The SD VE design has an improved self-defence trigger and a comfortable, ergonomic, textured grip. The SD VE also features an improved stainless steel barrel and slide that the SD did not include. The Smith & Wesson SD VE is available in and in either a standard-capacity version (16+1-round capacity for SD9 VE and 14+1 for SD40 VE) or in the low-capacity version (10+1-round capacity for both calibres.) SW1911 Series. Main article: In 2003, Smith & Wesson introduced their variation of the classic.45 ACP semi-automatic handgun, the SW1911. This firearm retains the M1911's well-known dimensions, operation, and feel while adding a variety of modern touches.
Updates to the design include serration at the front of the slide for easier operation and disassembly, a high 'beaver-tail', external extractor, lighter weight hammer and trigger, as well as updated internal safeties to prevent accidental discharges if dropped. S&W 1911s are available with black finished carbon steel slides and frames or bead blasted stainless slides and frames. They are available with aluminium frames alloyed with scandium in either natural or black finishes. These updates have resulted in a firearm that is true to the M1911 design, with additions that would normally be considered 'custom', with a price similar to equivalent designs from other manufacturers. Smith & Wesson's Performance Center produces the top of the line hand fitted competition version knowns as the PC 1911. While most 1911s run around 38 to 39 ounces (1,100 to 1,100 g), the PC 1911 is heavier, at approximately 41 ounces (1,200 g). The full-length guide rod adds some weight, and so does the add-on magazine well.
Rifles and carbines During the early years of WW2, Smith & Wesson manufactured batches of the under request from the British Government. In January 2006, Smith & Wesson reentered the rifle market with its series of rifles based on the. Unveiled at SHOT Show 2006, the rifle debuted in two varieties: the M&P15 and the M&P15T. The two are basically the same rifle, chambered in, with the T model featuring folding sights and a four-sided accessories rail. These rifles were first produced by Stag Arms but marketed under the Smith & Wesson name. Currently Smith & Wesson makes the lower receiver in-house while the barrel is supplied by Thompson/Center, a S&W company.
In May 2008, Smith & Wesson introduced its first AR-variant rifle in a caliber other than 5.56 NATO. The M&P15R is a standard AR-15 rifle chambered for the cartridge. In 2009, it released the M&P15-22, chambered for.22 Long Rifle. Smith & Wesson manufactured a line of bolt-action rifles called the i-Bolt. These synthetic-stock rifles were available in, or caliber. Submachine gun In 1967 Smith & Wesson produced a 9mm submachine gun, hoping to capitalize on U.S. Sales of the Israeli and HK.
It borrowed the magazine of the submachine gun (Kulsprutepistol m/45 or Kpist m/45) which had been popular with the U.S. Forces in Vietnam as the ') and made a similar side-folding stock. But the rest of the straight weapon had no parts in common with the earlier Swedish gun. The submachine gun was made in limited numbers and was primarily used as a police weapon. Because all of them were made prior to 1986, many of them made it into civilian hands in the United States and are commonly used in. Shotguns Smith & Wesson bought patents and tooling for a 12 ga.
Shotgun design from Noble Manufacturing Co. In 1972 and produced it as the Model 916, 916T, and 916A. The guns were plagued by a variety of quality issues, including a recall due to a safety issue with barrels rupturing. The 916 series was discontinued, then later replaced by the Models 3000, based on an improved design, and 1000 intended to compete with the popular; both were produced by Howa of Japan. However, with the sale of the company to British Tomkins PLC, Smith & Wesson exited the shotgun market in the mid'80s to return to their 'core' market of handguns.
During the 1980s, Smith & Wesson released the, which had a fully automatic capability. In November 2006, S&W announced that it would reenter the shotgun market with two new lines of shotguns, the Elite series and the 1000 series, unveiled at the 2007 SHOT Show. The 1000 series was discontinued in 2009.
Along with the new shotguns, S&W debuted the Heirloom Warranty program, a first of its kind in the firearms industry. The warranty provides both the original buyer and the buyer's chosen heir with a lifetime warranty on all Elite Series shotguns. Other products. Inmate in Smith & Wesson m-1 'universal' handcuffs secured with a m-1840 belly chain Smith & Wesson is also a manufacturer of restraints (, ). Smith & Wesson first manufactured handcuffs for the Peerless handcuff company which obtained the right to produce the first swinging-bow handcuffs patented by in 1912. Peerless did not have the facilities necessary for production so they contracted Smith & Wesson to manufacture the handcuffs for them. When Peerless set up its own production plant, Smith & Wesson continued to produce Peerless-type handcuffs under their own brand.
A Smith & Wesson 'ExtremeOps' brand pocket knife Smith & Wesson markets firearm accessories, safes, apparel, watches, collectables, knives, axes, tools, air guns, emergency light bars, and other products under its brand name. John Wilson and Roy G. Jinks designed the Smith & Wesson model 6010 Bowie knife in 1971 and the 1973 Texas Ranger Bowie knife. Blackie Collins designed the subsequent model 6020 and 6060 Survival knife in 1974–1979.
All of these limited-production and custom knives were made at the Springfield, Mass., United States factory. In October 2002, Smith & Wesson announced it had entered into a licensing agreement with Cycle Source Group to produce a line of bicycles designed by and for law enforcement. These bicycles had custom configurations and silent hubs. Smith & Wesson flashlights are available to the general public. They are designed and produced by, in.
Smith & Wesson has a line of wood pellet grills named after various pistol cartridges, such as.22 Magnum,.38 Special,.44 Magnum,.357 Magnum, and.500 Magnum. Smith & Wesson has entered into a licensing agreement with North Carolina-based Wellco Enterprises to design and distribute a full line of tactical law enforcement footwear. See also. References Footnotes.
A serial number and IMEI are similar, but have some differences. The serial number is a unique number assigned by the manufacturer (like Samsung) to help identify a specific device, like a phone, TV, and so on. It makes it easier for the makers to organize and keep track of their products.
On the other hand, an IMEI or MEID is only used for phones or other communication devices. Depending on your carrier, your phone may have an IMEI or MEID. These two numbers are different from a serial number. They are used at an international or global level, not just by manufacturers.
Both types of numbers can help network providers track down a phone that has been stolen or lost. © 2019 Samsung Electronics America, Inc. SAMSUNG is a registered trademark of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. All other brands, products and services, and their respective trademarks, names and logos, are the property of their respective owners. The above content is provided for entertainment and information purposes only. Consult user manual for more complete information.
All information included herein is subject to change without notice. Samsung is not responsible for any direct or indirect damages, arising from or related to use or reliance of the content herein.
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